Sports Hydration Notes
I was talking with my uncle today about Gatorade, and he asked about the value of sports drinks like Gatorade. Indefatigable fact-checker that I am, I did some digging, and this is what I discovered: There is a lot of crap online about sports drinks.
Most of what you find is marketing material. However, I was able to find a few articles that appeared to be of use.
THE BOTTOM LINE: For exercise lasting fewer than 60 minutes, sports drinks are unnecessary. Water is sufficient to replenish the body's needs. For exercising lasting more than 60 minutes, the American College of Sports Medicine states
In short, most sports drinks like Gatorade or Cytomax are just fine. Look HERE for a carbohydrate/sodium comparison of some popular sports drinks.
I have heard that adding a small amount of protein to a carbohydrate drink (in a 4:1 ratio) may increase endurance and speed recovery. While I am not convinced that adding protein is necessary, I did find some literature that supports this theory. Look HERE for details. If you are looking to try a protein-carbohydrate drink, try Accelerade.
FWIW, I tried the vanilla Accelerade Gel and did not like the taste. The vanilla flavor was overpowering. Both Banana Gu and Vanilla Gu taste better to me.
Finally, look HERE for a good article on the basics of post-race nutrition.
Most of what you find is marketing material. However, I was able to find a few articles that appeared to be of use.
THE BOTTOM LINE: For exercise lasting fewer than 60 minutes, sports drinks are unnecessary. Water is sufficient to replenish the body's needs. For exercising lasting more than 60 minutes, the American College of Sports Medicine states
During intense exercise lasting longer than 1 hour, it is recommended that carbohydrates be ingested at a rate of 30-60 g per hour to maintain oxidation of carbohydrates and delay fatigue. This rate of carbohydrate intake can be achieved without compromising fluid delivery by drinking 600-1200 mL per hour of solutions containing 4 to 8 percent carbohydrates (g/100 mL). The carbohydrates can be sugars (glucose or sucrose) or starch (e.g., maltodextrin).Ingestion of moderate amounts of sodium is also recommended. Look HERE for details.
In short, most sports drinks like Gatorade or Cytomax are just fine. Look HERE for a carbohydrate/sodium comparison of some popular sports drinks.
I have heard that adding a small amount of protein to a carbohydrate drink (in a 4:1 ratio) may increase endurance and speed recovery. While I am not convinced that adding protein is necessary, I did find some literature that supports this theory. Look HERE for details. If you are looking to try a protein-carbohydrate drink, try Accelerade.
FWIW, I tried the vanilla Accelerade Gel and did not like the taste. The vanilla flavor was overpowering. Both Banana Gu and Vanilla Gu taste better to me.
Finally, look HERE for a good article on the basics of post-race nutrition.
1 Comments:
Accelerade fruit punch is pretty decent stuff. I bought a bunch on sale at performance bikes after my cytomax ran out. I haven't tried the vanilla accelerade gel, but the fruit is pretty good. I thought it better than gu. My favorite gel is still Carb-boom vanilla orange. That stuff rawks.
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